How to pronounce wonderful
Say it like WUHN-der-ful. Wonderful has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WUHN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce wonderful. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WUHN
- der
- ful
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wonderful pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WUHNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- derKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- fulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of wonderful
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: WUHN-duh-ful.
What does wonderful mean?
- extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers“a fantastic trip to the Orient”“the film was fantastic!”
Where does wonderful come from?
From Middle English wonderful, wondirful, from Old English wundorful (“wonderful”), from Proto-West Germanic *wundrafull, equivalent to wonder + -ful.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying wonderful
How do you pronounce wonderful?
Say WUHN-der-ful. The American pronunciation is /ˈwʌndɚfəl/. In British English it is /ˈwʌndəfəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wonderful?
Wonderful has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WUHN). Broken into parts: WUHN · der · ful.
Is wonderful pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈwʌndəfəl/ (WUHN-duh-ful).